HMVS Childers facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 .svg){kind=small} Victoria and Australia |
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| Name | HMVS Childers |
| Builder | Thornycroft of Chiswick |
| Cost | £10,500 |
| Laid down | 1883 |
| Completed | 1884 |
| Decommissioned | 1924 |
| Fate | Hulked in 1918 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 63 tons |
| Length | 118.5 ft (36.1 m) |
| Beam | 12.16 ft (3.71 m) |
| Draught | 5.666 ft (1.727 m) |
| Propulsion | Expansion steam engines |
| Speed | 19–20 knots (35–37 km/h) |
| Complement | 12 |
| Armament |
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HMVS Childers was a small, fast warship called a torpedo boat. It served in the Victorian Naval Forces, then the Commonwealth Naval Forces, and finally the Royal Australian Navy in Australia.
Building a Fast Warship: HMVS Childers
The Childers was a special type of torpedo boat, known as a first-class torpedo boat. It was built for the colony of Victoria in Australia. The ship was constructed by a company called Thornycroft. This company was located in Chiswick, England. Building the Childers cost £10,500. Work on the ship started in 1883. It was finished and ready to sail by early 1884.
Adventures at Sea: Childers's Journey and Service
HMVS Childers began its long journey from Portsmouth, England, on February 3, 1884. Later that month, it was in Malta. The ship was on its way to Victoria, Australia. Two other ships, HMVS Albert and HMVS Victoria, were traveling with it.
While they were in Malta, news arrived about the death of General Gordon in Khartoum. The colony of Victoria quickly offered these three ships to help in the Sudan conflict. The offer was accepted. The Childers was sent ahead of the other ships. It arrived at a place called Suakin on March 19. However, the fighting had moved far inland. Warships could not help much there. So, the ships left just three days later. They finally reached Melbourne, Australia, on June 26. Their journey included stops in Aden, Colombo, the Dutch East Indies, and Torres Strait.
After Australia became a federation in 1901, Childers joined the new Commonwealth Naval Forces. Then, in 1911, it became part of the Royal Australian Navy. During World War I, the Childers stayed in Victorian waters. It also served as a support ship for HMAS Cerberus.
The End of Service: Childers's Final Years
The Childers was sold on April 5, 1918. It was bought by J.J. Savage & Co. in South Yarra for £20. Eventually, the Childers was turned into a hulk. This means it was stripped down and used as a floating storage or base. It ended up on Swan Island in Port Phillip.
